Lid handle and latch mechanism



1952 H. w. WHITMORE LID HANDLE AND LATCH MECHANISM 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Jan. 24, 1949 INVENTOR.

HARLAND W.WHITM'ORE ATTORNEYS 1952. H. w. WHITMORE 2,586, 53

LID HANDLE AND LATCH MECHANISM Filed Jan. 24, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR.

HARLAND W.WH|TMORE v BY ' ATTORNIEYS Patented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES OFFICE LID HANDLE AN'D wionmchmsn Harland w. Whi tmore, Kenosl auyassimor to Motor Products Corporation, Detroit; Mich, a corporation of New York Application J musty 24, 1949,- senaim. '12,s44

(Cl. ate-"228) I 2 Claims.

The invention relates to handles for actuating the lids or doors of cabinets in opening or closing thesame, and it is the object of the invention to obtain aconstruction which combines with and conceals within the handle a latching and locking mechanism.

It is a, further object to obtain a construction which can be formed largely of die cast elements which can be readily assembled with each other and easily attached to the lid and cabinet.

With these objects in view, the invention con sists in the construction as hereinafter set forth. in the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical section partly in elevation through a portion of a cabinet and its closure lid showing my improved handle and latching mechanism attached thereto and in the closed position of the lid;

' Figure 2 isa similarview of the latching mechanism detached and with the outer casing removed;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view;

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5, Figure 3.

It is one of the features of my handle and latch mechanism that when the lid or door of the cabinet is closed the latch mechanism including the keeper is completely concealed within the outer casing of the handle.

It is a further feature that this outer casing is detachable from the mechanism and may be removed therefrom while the parts are being mounted respectively on the lid and the cabinet. After such mounting in properly adjusted relation to each other, the casing can be attached and, as before stated, will completely conceal all of the other parts.

In detail A and B are members hingedly secured to each other, the former being rigidly mounted on the lid or door and the latter carrying the latch mechanism. The member B in front elevation is of an inverted T-shaped form having a substantially rectangular portion B and a portion B centrally thereof extending upward and inward therefrom. At its inner portion i? has formed thereon hinge eye portions B The portion B is ribbed on its inner face to strengthen the same and is further provided with one or more, preferably two, inwardly extending lugs B for pivotally mounting a roller C. The member A has a flat rear face A for bearing against the outer face of the lid, and is further bifurcated to form spaced eye portions A. which embrace the portions B of the member B in axial alignment therewith. The two members A and B are secured to each other by a pivot pin D, which passes longitudinall through the aligned eye portions and extends outward therebeyond. On each of the outwardly extending portions is sleeved a helical spring E having arms E and E extending tangentially outward from opposite end portions thereof, The arm E engages a notch or-groove F- inthe upper face of the portion B and the arm E? engagesa notch or groove F in the inner faced a lug ll projecting from the end of the member A. The springs E areso tensioned as to bias the member B to swing inward or against the'cabinet. V

' As illustrated inFig. l, G is a portion of the cabinet and is a portion of the lid which in closed position seats upon the top of the cabinet. The member A is rigidly attached to the lid by bolts I "which pass through apertures I in said member and into engagement with a portion of the lid, such as the reinforcing angle member J. *on the cabinet is mounted a. keeper member K, which has on one portion thereof an inclined striker plate K and beneath this a downwardly facing square shoulder K These portions are so arranged as to be in the path of the roller C on the member B and in the closing of the lid the g5 roller will ride over the inclined striker portion and will then move inward beneath the shoulder K It is desirable that this keeper member should be correctly positioned on the cabinet so as to hold the lid tightly" closed. Such positioning is facilitated by serrating the rear face of the keeper member, aS indicated at K and adj ustably mounting it upon a plate L mounted on the cabinet and having a serrated front face. The keeper is secured by bolts M,;whlch pass through vertically slotted apertures K4 in the member K permitting a limited adjustment of the serrated faces in relation to each other.

All of the membersthus far described are enclosed and concealedhy a casing member N, which may be chrome plated or otherwise ornamentally finished. The casing can be attached to the member B after the parts of the latching mechanism have been mounted respectively on the lid and cabinet, the attachment means being screws 0 arranged at the bottom. The casing and also the member B are cut away centrally of the bottom portions thereof to facilitate-grasping of the handle by the hand of the operator.

From the description above it will be understood that the lid or door may be actuated by the handle, and that the latter may be unlatched by drawing its lower end slightly outward to clear the keeper by the roller C, To limit the amount of angular movement permitted to the member B, the hinge eyes B are formed with projectin lugs 13 having inwardly facing shoulders adapted to engage adjacent portions A on the member A after a predetermined angular movement such, for instance, as 15 degrees. Thus the handle may be used for lifting the lid, as well as, closing it, and the tension of the springs E will produce automatic latching when the lid is closed. A key actuated locking bolt may be attached to the casing N and member B as indicated at P, being adapted to be turned into engagement with the keeper member K. Each of the members A and B and N may be formed as a die casting requiring no subsequent machining operation and capable of direct assembly with tions and projecting beyond the same but within the longitudinal dimensionfof said inverted T-- shaped-member, helical springs sleeved upon said extensions, each of said springs having radially extending arms at its opposite ends engaging notched bearings in said stop and T-shaped members biasing the latter to swing inward, and a roller mounted on the inner face of said '1'- shaped member for cooperation with a keeper on acabinet.

, 2. An actuating andlatching means for cab-' inet closures, comprising an inverted T-shaped member having the stem portion thereof project ing upward and inward and terminating in an eye portion, a stop member for attachment to said closure having bifurcated eye portions embracing and aligned with the adjacent eye portion, a pivot pin extending through said eye portions and projecting beyond the same but within the longitudinal dimension of the inverted T- shaped member, stop shoulders on said stop member and T-shaped member for limiting the angular movement thereof on said pivot pin, helical springs sleeved on said pivot pin extensions, each of said springs having radially extending arms at its opposite ends, one of said arms bearing against the head of said T-shaped member, a

lug projecting from said stop member to engage HARLAND W. WHITMORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Date I Name 356,915 Blu'st Feb. 1. 1887 1,393,770 Fuller Oct. 18, 1921 1,884,722 Katz Oct. 25,1932 1,932,829 Parsons Oct. 31, 1933 2,345,432 Schweller Mar. 28, 1944 2,485,012 Palmer Oct. 18, 1949 

